Bitsy & Boozle Tell a Story!

A tale of derring-do serves as the educational vehicle for a lesson in story structure in this graphic novel yarn by collaborators Goetter and Riess (The Bawk-ness Monster). Beginning with a welcome to the Realm of Narration by Bitsy—one of the three cyclopean Point-of-View sisters—the pink-skinned storyteller introduces her two older siblings: Prima, who tells of her adventures as a knight in first person, and cantankerous witch Midi, who writes interactive stories in second person. Eager to begin a tale of her own, Bitsy—an aspiring third-person narrator—calls upon stout, mustachioed wizard Boozle to become her reluctant protagonist. Communicating via pictograph, Boozle agrees to help Bitsy in exchange for his “very own Happily Ever After.” Using foreshadowing and flashbacks—storytelling techniques that Bitsy explains in bard-like ditties that address the reader—Bitsy chronicles Boozle’s journey, during which he assists troubled villagers, gains allies named after literary principles, and encounters a fearsome antagonist. Throughout the fluidly drawn and brightly colored adventures, Bitsy doubts her narrating chops, but encouragement from Boozle emphasizes the creators’ assertion that everyone’s POV is unique, making for a memorable story-within-a-story and a noteworthy tale. Ages 6–10. (Sept.)